I’m linking up with It’s Monday! What are you reading? hosted by Kathryn of The Book Date later on today. Kathryn took over this weekly, Monday meme from Shelia of Book Journey who had taken it over from J Kayne Book Blog. This meme is not just about adult books either. If you read picture and chapter books, juvenile fiction, or even YA, they count as well. Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers give this Monday, book post link up a kid-focus.

The Dillio

I already wrote about the end of the teenager’s tennis season so I won’t repeat it here. If you only come around Mondays and are curious, click here.

Halloween was no big deal for ¾ of us. The sixth grader – who was Lilo – had the most fun as she went to one friend’s (Stitch) house for a while and then they trooped over to another’s (Angel, the pink/girl Stitch) where they made some arts and crafts, brownies, trick-or-treated around the neighborhood around their school, and then came back to have pizza. She nicely separated the candies with nuts in them into another bag and for the family candy jar.

Saturday, I had to rouse the crew up early as the husband and I had to attend a funeral. We dropped off the kids at my mom’s, picked up my brother, and then went to the service and burial. For the rest of the day our family hung out at my parents’ and got to have yummy, Chinese take out for dinner.

Sunday afternoon, I hosted three of my neighbors for Craft “Night.” I served them double cream Brie, English cheddar with truffles, spiced walnuts, and chocolate-covered pretzels.

“… she opened a book and was therefore saved, discovering that a novel was as great an escape as any spell.”
― Alice Hoffman, The Rules of Magic

I was able to finish three books this week! First up, In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce.

This audiobook is the second installment in its series, Song of the Lioness, which is all about a girl named Alanna. I had read book one two years ago.

When I had listened to the first of Pierce’s Immortals series, Alanna was mentioned. I knew then I had to go back and finish her series before continuing the Immortals one.

A slim and smaller squire among others training to be knights. Who is he? Well it’s she, Alanna, a teen-aged girl disguised as a boy. As this young lady nears the end of her training, unknown dangers threaten the ones she cares about and it’s up to her to figure out what’s going on and who’s behind it.

Besides that Overdrive Listen on my laptop kept stopping in places on its own throughout the whole book, I wasn’t disappointed with this audio read. I didn’t care that there wasn’t any brutal scenes of killing and blood and that the plot wasn’t overly complicated with magic. In the Hand of the Goddess was an enjoyable listen. You could easily have this playing in your car or through your ear buds during your commute. Alanna is a likable character who has honor and a sense of duty to the royal family. If you like strong, female leads who persevere as an underdog through obstacles, this book is for you. I was surprised at the few, subtle mentions of sex in this book. They’re very slight and not detailed at all so I felt this second installment was definitely more for young adults and older audiences. Three stars.

I had become curious about The Remnant Chronicles because I kept seeing it around and mentioned so I check it out for my Kindle.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is told through three POV:

Lia – the runaway princess

the assassin, and

the prince.

What’s clever about this book is you don’t know out of the last two, who’s who. I kept guessing throughout the book and ended up wrong. There is nothing flashy in the plot nor bloody brutality. What I liked was her character development from start to finish. There is somewhat of a cliffhanger but the ending is like a bridge to the next installment.

If you like character development and where the camera focuses on the main characters in the present, you just may like this read. Three stars.

Can I tell you something that’s annoying? My library has the Kindle version of the first and third book in this series. Where’s the second?!

I just finished When We Found Home by Susan Mallery last night.

One man with a taste for women and out for a good time. Several women all over the country dumped to become single mothers. Children of those unions going through tough, living situations as a result until the patriarch of the family saves each one. However, does moving into a richer lifestyle keep the ghosts of the past away? This book is the story of Malcolm, Keira, and Callie from how they adjust from being strangers to one another to developing into siblings and a real family.

I am trying to read more of this author’s work because I like how she writes about real life situations and real life family dynamics. If you like realistic fiction with a hint of romance, this is a book for your TBR. Three stars.

What book has captured your attention right now? It’s about 5 pm PST. Time to figure out dinner. What are you eating tonight? Thank you for popping in what’s left of Monday. Have a good evening and TTYS.

Glad you enjoyed When We Found Home – I really liked it. I like her books like this one, I tend to leave her romance ones by the way as I find so much of the small town romances all blend into one another – not just hers but everyones! Ah yes a craft night – perfect, my little group needs to meet up for one of those. Most of them knit and I usually embroider a bit of a quilt block!

Oooh, I get SO annoyed when my library’s online e-books and audiobooks are missing a book from a series. Ugh! I hope you’re able to easily get it without having to pay for a copy. Have a great reading week, Stefanie!

I think that reading is so wonderful. I haven’t been able to read much because I want to be knitting instead. and Im having some trouble concentrating. I do love a good short podcast. That’s all I can do right now. But I think it is enough.

Dinner…it’s always tough to figure this out…but last night we had groupings of food on a big plate…cold leftover steak, sliced tomatoes, an avocado half, lightly dressed baby greens and cheddar cheese slices. An apple was dessert!

STEF!!!!!!! I’m FINALLY HERE! And I’m so sorry. I’ve been ATROCIOUS at blogging this year. I’ve finally decided that instead of scrambling to try and catch up with everything that I’m just going to draw a line in the sand and start afresh. So here I am… About to go into the festive season. 🙈🙈 I hope you have been so well and I’m sorry that I’m so far behind on everything in your world! I’ve seen a few posts on Instagram though so there’s that.

I’m so glad that you’ve been listening to Tamora Pierce’s books! That’s amazing! She is one writer who shaped my life because I came across her books when I was still so young and in my very formative years. I love her diversity and feminism and just positive vibes overall. Alanna and Daine are both women to look up to so I hope that you love the rest of the series.

Pearson’s books are also on my TBR so I need to get to those! I’m excited, especially after reading your thoughts.

I hope you have a really awesome weekend and I’m looking forward to being able to catch up with you more often!

My pet peeve about my library is when they have a book in audio format, but when I go to get the next in the series, all they have is the print edition. I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t work as well when I’m used to having that narrator in my head.

awww Lilo and Stitch is a fav of my daughter’s. I’ve seen Susan Mallery around but I haven’t read her. Craft night sounds so fun! I don’t know any other crocheters in real life but I have seen indie shops that host craft nights, I haven’t attended any but its tempting.

I’m back from vacation but still on vacation mode. I’m catching up on my blog hopping 🙂 I think I will make a lasagna tonight for dinner. Enjoy your weekend!

I would love to attend one of your craft nights – that food sounds amazing!! 🙂

Chinese take out! I usually always order Chinese take out for the first snow of the season, but this year it was in the morning. It’s a weird little family tradition. I mean, we do eat it other times too, but always the first snow. 🙂

When We Found Home is on my TBR list..
As you already know I just wrapped up Next Year in Havana and am going back to my crime books with a James Patterson book.. haven’t start it yet.. still got Havana on my mind.. 🙂

Your craft night sounds like such fun! Wish we lived closer so we could hang out and knit 🙂 I’ve been trying to read a little before going to bed but it’s taking forever to get through my current book (The Historian).